Optus to boost regional coverage

Optus plans to introduce 69 new base stations across NSW and Victoria over the next three weeks as part of a new initiative to increase rural and regional coverage.

Optus Mobile managing director Allen Lew said the expansion was the result of a two-year investment program costing $330 million.

"The expansion of Optus' high quality GSM (global system for mobile telephony) network means people in many areas of regional New South Wales and Victoria now have a choice of mobile carrier," Mr Lew said.

"By the end of this year, Optus will have added 100,000 (square kilometres) of new coverage footprint to rural and regional Australia with 28,000 sq kms in New South Wales 40,000 sq kms in Victoria."

Mr Lew said Australians now expected their mobile phones to work beyond capital cities and Optus was investing heavily in ensuring mobile access for those who worked in regional areas.

The new base stations would provide improvements ranging from quality upgrades in existing metropolitan areas and holiday locations to completely new coverage footprints in regional towns and on highways, he said.

Optus says its network now provides coverage to more than 94 per cent of the Australian population and handles more than 96 million calls and 32 million SMS messages each week.

Independent telco analyst Paul Budde recently estimated Optus held about 34 per cent of the Australian mobiles market.